


The Foxhole

by on__reserve



Category: All For the Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Angst and Humor, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Gore, Canon-Typical Violence, Drama, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Family Drama, Fluff and Smut, Humor, M/M, Minor Character Death, Psychological Drama, Romance, Sexual Violence, Smut, Some Humor, Threats of Violence, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-19
Updated: 2017-10-29
Packaged: 2018-08-15 21:17:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8073001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/on__reserve/pseuds/on__reserve
Summary: When Wymack approaches Neil about a place in his halfway home, The Foxhole, Neil runs. When Wymack finally convinces him to visit Neil thinks to himself "If anything goes wrong, I'll run." What he doesn't count on are the Foxes. Especially not Andrew.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all! This is my first TFC fic and I'm so excited! It's an idea I've been playing around with for awhile so I hope you all like it :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Edit* so I meant for this fic to be short when I originally came up with the idea last year, but upon coming back to the fic I realized there is so much more I wanted to do with it so...buckle your seat belts! We're in for a long and bumpy ride. Love you all <3

Neil sat on his usual bench and watched the smoke curl from the tip of his cigarette into the trees. The man approached.

The cop who usually patrolled the park had warned him someone was looking for him and Neil was prepared. He held his duffle close to his body and, though he appeared relaxed to the average passerby, he was ready to run. Neil was always ready to run. He didn’t look up from his cigarette until the man stood directly in front of him, his white sneaker clad foot tapping in Neil’s line of vision. 

The man was tall. Everyone was tall compared to Neil, but this man was easily over six feet. He was in a white wife beater that had seen better days and it left his well-built arms free for everyone to see. Neil noted the tribal tattoos covering his arms, the thick black solid lines. Who the fuck was this? 

He looked up into the man’s unsmiling face. “Can I help you with something,” Neil asked forcing his voice to sound bored. Forcing the ever-present panic building in his throat to stay down. 

“Neil Josten.” Neil couldn’t help the tension that immediately seized his muscles upon hearing his name. “I’ve been looking for you.” The man smiled.

That was all Neil needed to hear. He shot up from his bench and bolted. If he could make it to the crowded park entrance he could lose this man in the sea of people. He could make it. He could-

Neil felt a hand pull at the hood of his sweatshirt and he was jerked back into a wall of solid muscle. He kicked his foot back full force and connected with the man’s shin. “Jesus fuck!” The man’s grip lessened a bit and Neil tensed, preparing to take off again.

“Fuck, Hernandez told me you’d be a tough sell, but he didn’t tell me you’d kick like a fucking donkey.” Neil froze at the mention of Officer Hernandez. Tough sell? What did this man want? 

The man’s hand released its death grip on Neil’s hood. Neil turned around. The man was bent over, inspecting the vicious red welt on his shin. He peered up at Neil through his shaggy hair. “Get that smug smirk off your face you little shit.” The man’s voice was harsh, but not hostile and Neil’s fiery blind panic died down to a cool wariness. 

The man straightened and held his hand out to Neil. “David Wymack.” Neil didn’t take his hand, so the man used it to push his sweaty hair back from his face. “And you’re Neil Josten. You’re a hard man to find, Josten.” Neil kept silent; face unmoving, willing Wymack to get to the point.

“Right.” The man hesitated clearing his throat. He looked Neil up and down. “You look hungry.” Again he paused. Neil looked down at his dirty clothes and lean, muscled frame. He always looked hungry. Living on the streets would do that to you.

Wymack jerked his thumb behind him. “There’s a Waffle House down the street a ways. Let me buy you breakfast and we can get out of this godforsaken heat and talk.”

Neil studied his face. He obviously wasn’t working for his father so what did he want? Neil tightened his hand around the strap of his duffle bag. He could always run again if things went sideways. When was the last time he’d had anything to eat besides other people’s scraps or bags of chips stolen from the vending machine?

Neil gave a sharp jerk of his chin as a response and Wymack led him to a monstrous white truck in the parking lot. Neil cursed his 5’3 frame for the millionth time that week. He prayed he wouldn’t embarrass himself and clambered ungracefully into the vehicle. Wymack pretended not to notice, but Neil thought he caught him smiling out of the corner of his eye.

The ride was silent and mercifully quick. Soon Neil was walking into the air-conditioned restaurant. He had to stop himself from sighing in relief. This summer on the run had nearly done him in.  
August in South Carolina without air conditioning was a special hell reserved for the worst sinners. Neil was atoning for his sins every day he spent without water or food. Replaying his past, present, and future transgressions in his head every sleepless night on his bench in the park because it was too scorching to sleep even when the sun went down.

He kept his hoodie on, not willing to part with one of his few belonging if he had to make a hasty exit. Wymack chose a booth in the very back of the crowded restaurant. Neil sat facing the door, his back to the wall. They were both silent as the waitress placed silverware in front of them and took their orders. Wymack ordered for him and Neil didn’t object. 

The waitress left and Wymack began. “Hernandez told me that you’ve been sleeping in the park since April.” He looked at Neil awaiting his affirmation.

“That’s none of Hernandez’s business,” Neil replied coolly. Wymack nodded, apparently expecting the evasive answer. 

“What are you running from, Neil?” Wymack searched Neil’s face and Neil fought to keep it perfectly blank.

“And that’s none of your business.” Wymack just nodded again and Neil thought of teling him the truth just to punch a hole in his seemingly calm exterior. Wymack looked Neil in the eyes. 

“What if I told you that you didn’t need to run anymore?” Neil sat so still he wasn’t sure he was still breathing. He stared Wymack down, waiting. Anticipation stirred in his gut. Wymack looked him over again, his eyes stopping on Neil’s fists clenched on the table, white knuckled. Neil stuffed his hands in his hoodie pocket and shot Wymack a glare. Wymack began.

“I run a halfway home for teens and young adults called The Foxhole.” Neil blinked in surprise, his careful mask slipping. He’d read about the place before. More importantly he had read about one of the house’s occupants. Kevin Day.

Neill shot up from his seat to leave at the exact moment the waitress came back with their drinks. The two cups sloshed down the unfortunate young girl’s front. Neil just stared at her, watching as her face turned from wide-eyed surprise to flushed face agravation.

“He’s sorry, ma’am,” Wymack said politely. Then he turned to Neil, his eyes hard. “Neil, sit down and apologize to the lady.” Neil counted to ten, tapping his fingertips together, trying to calm the panic and subdue the icy adrenaline coursing through his veins. He had counted to fifteen before he finally sat down.

He looked up at the annoyed waitress, Linda, her nametag read, and awkwardly apologized. She finally walked off and Wymack leaned over the table. “What the fuck is your problem, Josten,” Wymack whispered. Neil leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms.

“I won’t go.” His voice was calm, but inside he was screaming, his mind spinning. Every part of his body was telling him to get up and run. To keep running, never stopping, never looking back. But he sat still and looked into Wymack’s curious face and he said again, “I won’t go.”

Wymack leaned back in his seat, mirroring Neil’s posture. “And why is that?” His voice was as calm as Neil’s own, but Neil could see the curiosity in the older man’s eyes.

"Kevin Day stays there. I won’t stay in the same house as Kevin Day.” Wymack blinked, surprise shattering his nonchalant façade. 

“What? What the fuck does Kevin have to do with any of this?” Neil shrugged, unwilling to tell the man any of his secrets. Neil watched Wymack pull himself back together. He wiped his face clean of his surprise and leaned forward crossing his arms on the table. 

“Look kid,” Wymack said softly. “What Hernandez told me about your-“ he paused, trying to come up with the right word for Neil’s life on the run. “-conditions. Nobody should have to go through that. I know. Especially not someone your age.” 

Neil was expecting to find pity in his eyes like he seen in Hernandez during their encounters. What he did not expect was the understanding written in every haggard line on Wymack’s face. It aged him and Neil found he couldn’t look away no matter how much he wanted to. 

“I don’t know what you have against Kevin, but it doesn’t matter.” Neil opened his mouth to speak, but couldn’t find any words. After a cool look from Wymack he shut his mouth and sat back. “I want you to see The Foxhole. Tonight is our weekly mandatory group dinner and game night. I want you to see how we work. If you still want to book it when you wake up in the morning, fine, you can leave. I won’t force you to stay. But you have to at least see the place.” 

Wymack finished his speech as a new waiter came out with their new drinks and their food. He looked away from Neil, down to his plate and started sawing into the T-bone in front of him apparently done talking. Neil stared at his plate of steak and eggs and his stomach audibly growled. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had steak.

He had been here too long already. His father could find him anyday now. And Kevin. He shouldn’t even be considering Wymack’s offer with Kevin in the picture. Kevin could recognize him. He had dyed his hair and his contacts took care of his eyes, but the risk was too great. Kevin could ruin everything.

He looked back up at Wymack who was sopping up his steak juice with a piece of toast. This man, for some reason, cared about what happened to Neil. Neil hadn’t had anyone to care about him since his mother died back in April. He thought of Wymack’s face when he said ‘I know.’ The same look in his eyes that Neil saw every morning in the mirror.

He could always run before he saw Kevin. Maybe Kevin wouldn’t even be here tonight. He could always run. He took a deep breath.

“Okay.” Wymack looked up to meet his stare, his mouth filled with food. 

“What,” he asked, sending toast crumbs flying. 

“Okay. I’ll come with you,” Neil replied. “Just for tonight.”

Wymack swallowed and it looked so painful Neil winced.

“Good. We’ll leave after this.” Wymack speared another piece of meat and shoved it into his mouth. “Now shut up and eat your steak.” 

Neil looked down at his food and picked up his fork and knife. The first bite of steak, thankfully not rare like Wymack’s, almost had him on his knees kissing the man’s filthy sneakers. His body felt light and for once it wasn’t from thirst or hunger. If Neil didn’t know any better, he would almost say he felt hopeful.

He pushed that thought aside as the threat that it was. As his dad had taught him, hope was dangerous. He filled his mouth with eggs and stopped thinking.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neil doesn't know just what he's gotten himself into. (A.K.A. Neil meets some more of the Foxes.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is pretty late since I was trying to update this fic once or twice a week, but college is crazy guys. It sucks. A lot. Enjoy!

The drive from Anderson to Clemson was only forty minutes long with traffic, but to Neil Josten it was the longest drive of his life. Wymack barely said a word to Neil on the way to the Foxhole. The only sound was Wymack’s music playing too loud to hold a conversation. Neil was grateful for that.

Neil kept his hand on the door handle the entire drive ready to throw himself out of the moving car if need be. Now that there was no food in front of him, enticing him to see Wymack’s plan through, the reality of what he had agreed to was crashing down on him. He was covered in a cold sweat despite the semi-functional AC in Wymack’s truck. Every mile, every minute was bringing him closer to coming face to face with Kevin Day.

Neil hadn’t seen Kevin since he was ten years old when they were both attending the prestigious John C. Calhoun Preparatory School in Washington DC. Neil’s father and Kevin’s adopted father had been friends back then. Tetsuji Moriyama was a House Representative and Neil’s father was a cop who had fallen into the right crowd. Even at that young age, Neil, Kevin, and Kevin’s cousin Riko were being bred for excellence. 

They didn’t have play dates like their fellow classmates. They’d meet at Kevin and Riko’s house for three hours of supervised studying with the finest tutors money could buy. Kevin, Riko, and Neil understood more about politics at that age than most adults in the nation.

Tetsuji Moriyama had been a strict teacher. A wrong answer on a good day would earn them strikes across the knuckles with a yard stick until blood was drawn. Neil still had the scars to remind him about the bad days. 

Neil had a tendency to daydream during those lessons. He dreamt of spring breezes, sports, and friends. He suffered for those dreams. Kevin and Riko had always been stars, prodigies, and because of that they had it even worse. Tetsuji would push them farther, hit them harder, and still ask for more. 

Riko was just as cruel as his uncle. He took all of his burning rage and frustrations out on Kevin. Every punishment Riko got, he gave to Kevin two-fold. Neil had watched it push Kevin to breaking, but he always came back stronger, more determined to do, to be, better.

Neil stopped attending those lessons when things got worse at home. Tetsuji hid his abuse behind cold reasoning and logic. Nathan didn’t need those pretty lies to harm Neil. When Neil was twelve, his mother took him and they ran. 

Neil had kept tabs on Kevin though. He hadn’t burnt out in the years since Neil had left. He had watched the Moriyamas life unfold in newspapers. Tetsuji had become Speaker of the House and was now busy running for Vice President with the Republican presidential candidate. Riko and Kevin were constantly being hailed the next President of the United States. Neil had cut out several articles where ignorant journalists pitted them against each other.

Riko, Kevin, and their group of friends at school were jokingly called the perfect cabinet. Riko had gracefully accepted the name in an interview where he claimed that he, of course, would be president and Kevin his vice. Kevin hadn’t argued against it. 

Then last year, Kevin snapped. He left D.C. in the middle of the night and the next day headlines were screaming that he had accepted a scholarship at Clemson University and was living in the Foxhole. One of the publications had called it “The Foxhole Home for Suicidal Kids.” The general consensus was that Kevin had burnt out, but Neil didn’t believe that. Not when he had witnessed Kevin’s unfailing determination as children.

He wondered if Kevin would recognize him, even with the dye and contacts. He wondered if he would even make it through the door before he bolted. He thought he would throw up. 

“Kid, if you throw up in my truck I’m going to make you clean it up with your mouth.” Neil took his hands away from his face and looked at Wymack. Wymack continued staring at the road. “Seriously, don’t do it. I’m a sympathetic puker.” Neil leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He tapped his fingertips together and inhaled deeply. He needed a cigarette.

As if reading his mind, Wymack pointed to the glove box. “Cigarettes and a lighter in there.” Neil opened the glove box and dug through a mountain of crumpled papers and dirty napkins. He found not only the cigarettes and a lighter, but also a half empty bottle of whiskey. 

He grabbed the cigarettes and closed the compartment. He lit the cigarette and inhaled the smell of smoke that reminded him of his mother. His chest caved in on itself. He wouldn’t think of what his mother would say about this. If he did he would throw himself from this vehicle right now. He squeezed his eyes shut and breathed in the smell of the smoke. He could have sworn he heard Wymack mutter something about wasted cigarettes under his breath. He ignored it.

“You all right, Josten?” Neil didn’t open his eyes.

Another inhale. Another ten count. “I’m fine.”

Silence. “Okay,” Wymack said as if he didn’t believe Neil at all. “We’re another five minutes from the house.” Neil opened his eyes, taking in the turns Wymack was making, which roads they were taking.

Wymack slowed the car and then they were pulling into a long tree lined driveway. A house came into view. Except for Neil couldn’t really call it a house upon closer inspection. This was an estate. The building was three stories and it looked like an old plantation house recently remodeled. The decorative pillars and the front porch were painted a bright white, but the brick looked nearly orange and the shutters were definitely orange. Obnoxiously orange.

“All of the kids here go to Clemson as part of the school’s community outreach so when it was time to repaint, they wanted to show a little school pride.” Wymack said, chuckling a little. Neil didn’t respond. Neil didn’t respond when Wymack opened his door and got out of the truck. Neil was too busy drowning in his panic. One, two, three, four, tap, tap, tap, breathe-

“Josten.” Breathe. Neil’s door opened and Wymack peered in. “You getting out kid? I mean the truck’s nice and all, but we’ve got actual beds inside. Beds and food.” I will not run, Neil thought to himself. Not unless I have to. He put one foot out of the car. Then the other. Wymack backed out of the way as Neil jumped out of the truck with as much dignity as he could muster in his state.

Wymack took off walking toward the front door. Neil followed. “We’ve got about ten acres of land here. Lots of it is trees. We’ve got a small vegetable garden in the back the kids help out with. Matt and Dan started a flower garden last spring and Matt does most of the landscaping. Kid’s got an eye for it.” Neil listened to Wymack prattle on, not really paying attention. 

The door was getting closer and closer. Neil noticed that it was painted the same bright orange as the shutters. Wymack took out his keys to unlock the door. “I always tell them to lock up when I’m gone. Sometimes they listen.”  
Neil could feel his heartbeat pounding in every part of his body. He could barely hear over the blood rushing in his ears. Wymack finally got the door open and stepped inside. Neil followed, trying to conceal the spike of panic that flooded his system as he stepped over the threshold. He was still staring at his feet as Wymack spoke again.

“Dan. Perfect,” Wymack said. Wymack stepped through the door and Neil caught a glimpse of a severe looking girl with dark skin. He glanced around the room. Kevin Day was nowhere in sight. Neil loosed a breath and felt the painful tightness in his chest ease away for now. 

Neil turned his attention back to the new threat. The girl was tall with a stern looking face. Her hair was cropped close to her head in tight curls. She looked like she wanted to beat him up. She looked like she could beat the shit out of him with her hands tied behind her back. She frowned at him. He realized he’d been staring.

“Don’t scare the new kid, Dan. We’ll let the monsters do that. Hold down the fort alright?” 

Neil watched the girl’s face completely change as she turned her attention to Wymack. Her hard features melted and she graced him with a soft smile. “Renee and Matt are in the work out room and Allison was painting her nails when I left her.” She scrunched her nose. “Seth’s around here somewhere.”

“And the monsters,” Wymack asked, frowning. Dan’s face turned to stone again. “For Christ’s sake! What did they do know. I’m not paying for it this time.”

Dan cut off Wymack’s tyrade. “They’re in Columbia,” she said. It was practically a growl. Whoever these monsters were, they had to be pretty bad if they willingly got themselves on this girl’s bad side. 

“But it’s mandatory dinner.”

“I know.”

“Did you tell them that?” Wymack asked. His face was turning a rather interesting shade of red. 

“Of course I did! You really think they give a shit about what I say?” 

Wymack took off down the hall. He turned around at the foot of the stairs. “I need to go call these idiots. Dan, Neil Josten, Neil, Dan Wilds. Dan, show him his room and introduce him to the others. Give him the tour or whatever.” And, that being said, Wymack turned back around and stomped up the stairs leaving Neil alone with Dan.

Dan looked him up and down and Neil couldn’t help but feel he was failing a test he hadn’t known to study for. She stuck her hand out. “Dan Wilds,” she said. Neil shook her hand. Her grip was firm. “Alright, new kid. Let’s go.” She started walking and Neil had to take a deep breath before he could follow. Just what exactly had he gotten himself into? And where the fuck was Kevin?

 

Neil followed Dan, keeping track of all of the turns they were taking. Dan turned down the hallway and knocked on the first door to the left. Someone from inside shouted for them to come in. Dan opened the door and Neil couldn’t stop himself from tensing, from imagining Kevin behind every closed door, hidden in the shadows of every corner.  
What he found instead was a short Asian girl with silver hair. The ends were died every color of the rainbow. Next to her was a boy even taller than Wymack. He was shirtless and Neil immediately noticed the faded track marks all over his long, pale arms. He looked away. 

“Hey babe,” said Dan, leaving Neil’s side to give the sweaty, tall boy a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Again Neil watched as the harsh lines of her face smoothed out into a pleasant smile. The guy stopped looking at Dan with heart eyes long enough to stick out a hand to Neil. “Matt Boyd,” he said with a boyish grin. He stuck out his hand. Neil was a bit perplexed about what the boy intended him to do with his hand as he was wearing boxing gloves. He just stared at it. The boy, Matt, let his hand drop. 

The short girl opted out of a handshake and simply waved at Neil. “Hi Neil. My name is Renee Walker. It’s very nice to finally meet you.” Neil nodded, taking in the fact that she was wearing boxing gloves as well. Had they been fighting? There was no way. The girl caught him staring and smiled a bit. Neil had never felt so out of his depth. He wasn’t one to be thrown easily, but he was starting to wonder if he should have made Wymack explain the situation a bit more before agreeing to this, whatever this was.

The boy, Matt, spoke up again. “If you guys want to stick around, Renee was about to kick my ass for the fifth time.” Neil looked at the girl again, eyebrows raised. She might be more of a threat to him than Dan if things went sideways.  
Renee just smiled sheepishly. “I don’t think it’s been five times, Matt.” Matt scoffed and rolled his eyes, but he was grinning. Renee shrugged. “You just have to keep your guard up.” 

“I would pay to see you and my mom in a fight.”

Dan interrupted their banter. “Well I would certainly love to see Renee mop the floor with you, boy toy, I still have to introduce Neil to Allison and Seth and show him his room.” She grimaced. “Then I have to go keep Wymack from having a melt down over the monsters.” 

Matt winked at her. “Have fun with that.” Dan rolled her eyes and turned around. Matt just laughed so she gave him a vulgar gesture over her shoulder. Neil wanted to stick around for a minute to watch Matt and Renee fight, still curious as to how someone as small as Renee could beat someone as big as Matt, but Dan cleared her throat. He turned to look at her. “Come on, New Kid. There’s still a lot more weird to introduce you to.”

 

Neil had thought Dan was intimidating, but she was nothing compared to Allison. Neil had followed Dan dutifully up the stairs to a hallway lined with closed doors. Some of the doors had posters and stickers on them, but Neil didn’t recognize any of the references. Dan stopped and knocked on third door on the left. “This is my room too, but if she’s with Seth…” She trailed off and shrugged. “I’ve learned to knock.” 

A girl’s voice carried through the door. “What?” Dan rolled her eyes and pulled the door open, unaffected by the girl’s less than warm welcome. Neil followed her into the room. If one could call it that. The room was bigger than the entire apartment Neil had squatted in before he moved to the park. There were two full sized beds, two desks, and a walk-in closet that was open and overflowing with clothes and shoes, and yet the room didn’t feel cluttered or overcrowded. Neil clutched his duffel closer to his body. 

Dan gestured to the tall blonde sitting at the desk closest to the door. Upon seeing Neil, the girl had sat up straight and crossed one of her long legs on top of the other, her skirt riding up her thigh. Neil didn’t look away from her face. “Allison, Neil Josten. Neil, Allison Reynolds.” The blonde girl quirked an eyebrow, a wide smile on her face. Neil thought she looked like a lioness assessing her prey.

“No one told me he was cute.” This was followed by a loud snort by the guy lying on a bed with a very pink bedspread. The boy glared at Neil with a sour look on his face. Honestly Neil was more afraid of Allison, Renee, and Dan. He’d been surrounded by guys like this his entire life. He knew how to handle them. It was girls that were confusing.

“And that,” Dan said, interrupting the staring contest Neil had somehow found himself in, “is the ever pleasant Seth Gordon.” 

“Fuck you too, sis,” he spit out. Dan’s eyes narrowed. Neil looked between the two, but didn’t see an obvious relation between the pale, skinny dark haired boy and Dan. He made a note to ask about that later if he was still here. The boy went back to glaring at Neil and Allison gave a little huff from where she was sitting. 

“Give it a rest, Seth.” She rolled her eyes and started blowing on her nails looking up at Neil from under her eyelashes. Seth growled and Neil thought Allison looked rather pleased.

“Well,” Dan said, hand on the door, “We’d love to stay and chat, but I’ve got to show Neil his room.”

“What room,” Seth asked, glowering at Dan. 

“Dad didn’t tell you Seth?” Neil watched Seth’s face grow red and couldn’t help comparing him to a bomb with a very short fuse. “Say hi to your new roommate, Bryan.” Dan smirked and with that she and Neil were out the door followed by a loud string of profanities courtesy of Seth and Allison’s tinkling laughter.

Dan looked at Neil as they walked down the hallway to the next room on the right. She put her hand on the door and looked at Neil. “Seth’s an asshole, but he’s usually harmless.” She thought for a second. “Just don’t touch any of his stuff.” And with that she turned the doorknob and stepped into the room.

“This is where you’ll be staying.” Neil looked around the room. It had a similar setup to the room he was just in. Again it was huge, bigger than any place he’d stayed since he left his dad’s house. There were three beds and desks in here instead of the two in Dan and Allison's room. Neil walked past the beds that were obviously taken over to the one that looked freshly made with stark white sheets and a flowered quilt.

He brushed a hand over the puckered, embroidered fabric. “Dad, Wymack, is big on making the place feel homey. Those are just for right now. As long as it’s not permanent you can pretty much do whatever you want to your space.” Neil traced one of the lumpy flowers on the quilt. 

“Betsy made that quilt.” Dan smiled to herself a little bit. “You’ll meet her soon. She’s a therapist who comes here once a week to check up on things.” Neil stiffened. He hated therapists.

“It’s not mandatory or anything,” Dan said, catching on to the sudden tension in the room. “Well, it is for Andrew. She’s just there if we need to talk.” Neil just stared at her. “She’s really nice,” Dan tried. Neil remained silent. She shook out her hands, attempting to regroup. 

“Right. You share this room with Matt and Seth. Honestly, the house is big enough for most of us to have our own rooms, but Dad’s really big on family bonding, so we’re all stuck sharing.” Neil’s head was spinning a bit from all of the new information. He took another breath. He wanted to ask her why she called Wymack dad or why Seth called her sis, but there were more pressing matters at hand.

“Where does Kevin stay?” 

Dan looked confused, but pointed down the hall. “Second door on the left.” Neil could feel his pulse ratcheting up and concentrated on his breathing. “Why?”

“No reason. Wymack mentioned something about him.” 

“He shares a room with the Monsters.” Neil furrowed his brow. Who are the Monsters?

“Ah,” Dan said, catching Neil’s expression. “The Monsters, you’ll meet them later too, whenever they get back from whatever the hell it is they’re doing.” Dan frowned again and Neil wondered for the second time who these monsters were if they were comfortable crossing Dan. “The Monsters. Andrew and Aaron Minyard and their cousin Nicky Hemmick. Nicky’s all right most of the time. Aaron’s a fucking asshole. More so than Seth. But even he’s better than Andrew.” Dan stepped a little closer to Neil. “Andrew is…He’s a piece of work.” She looked conflicted. “Watch your back around him, okay.” 

Neil nodded. He recognized the name now. Andrew Minyard had been mentioned in one of the more recent articles about Kevin’s decision to come to The Foxhole. The journalist had jokingly called him Kevin’s new bodyguard, but Neil remembered what the article had said about his background. Aggravated assault, a stint in juvy, and court regulated meds. Neil thought that if Dan, who didn’t really like him, was warning him about this boy then maybe he’d take her advice.

A bell sounded through the house and Neil had to fight the urge to jump out of his skin. He couldn’t quite contain the way his hand twitched on his duffel strap. Dan smiled. “And that means dinner. You can set your bag down on the bed. No one’s going to mess with it.” Neil just looked at her.

“I’d rather keep it with me.” Dan studied his face for a moment before shrugging.

“Suit yourself.” She walked out of the room leaving Neil alone for a moment with his thoughts. He glanced around the room one more time before following Dan down the stairs to the dining room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said this chapter was going to be dinner and game night, BUT I LIED. This chapter really got away from me and it was so long by the time I had finished introducing the other foxes there was no way I could possibly add dinner and the game, so expect those next chapter. Also expect  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> THE MONSTERS (dun dun DUN)  
> Also, even though I haven't been responding to comments (Because school is crazy and I have three tests tomorrow and two Tuesday with a lab report due as well) I have read every single one of them and you guys are so sweet! You have no clue how much it means to me that you guys are reading this poorly constructed fic. Thank you so much!


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neil meets Andrew and the rest of the monsters. And also suffers through an awkward dinner and game night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for my long absence. If anyone is still reading this I love you and I swear I never meant to abandon this. I'm super excited to get back into this world! Anyway, here's more of Neil and the shenanigans that follow him everywhere...also...Andrew! 
> 
> (Warnings for Seth being a homophobic ass and using a bunch of slurs.)

Neil thought he knew awkward. As a professional liar and man of admittedly very few, blunt words, he’s used to awkward silences. People always asked for more than he was willing to say and he thought he had grown immune to the heavy, expectant silences that followed his one-word answers. He thought wrong.

“So Neil,” Dan started after a cough and a stern, pointed look from Wymack. “Uh, you don’t really have an accent.” Neil said nothing and continued pushing his fork through his admittedly delicious macaroni and cheese. He still caught the glare Dan shot Wymack and the even fiercer glare Wymack returned. Dan rolled her eyes and let out an audible sigh before forcing a bright smile on her face. “Where are you from?” Neil considered the question. He couldn’t tell them the truth and he didn’t really want to name one of the many places he’d “lived” while on the run with his mom. He took in Dan’s still smiling face. She was trying and that made him feel a little guilty. Guilt was a feeling Neil had become very well acquainted with ever since his mother died a year ago. He still hated it. 

“Everywhere,” he said with a shrug he hoped looked nonchalant. It was the most honest thing he’d said so far. Dan’s smile twitched, turning down at the corners for just a second before she recovered. Matt, sitting next to her, grabbed her hand. Neil looked back down at his mac n’ cheese. 

He felt Renee shift in the seat next to him and pulled his arms further into his body to avoid brushing against her. The relatively small table was crammed. Wymack sat at the head and Dan, Matt, Allison, and Seth all sat across from him. Renee had chosen the seat next to him. There had been five seats left empty at the end of the table. One, Renee had told him, was for Abby, the manager/nurse, for when she visited and the other four Wymack had chimed in were for the monsters. 

Neil noticed that everyone else sat as far away from the four empty chairs as they could at the crowded table. He wondered, not for the first time tonight, how bad these boys, these monsters, could really be if the mere impression of their presence had such an affect on their housemates. Despite his everpresent anxiety over seeing Kevin again, he was curious. 

“Neil,” Renee said. He withdrew his eyes from the empty, mismatched chairs he had been unintentionally staring at. She was looking at him with concerned eyes, a small, sweet smile gracing her lips. Neil looked away. Renee unsettled him more than anyone in the house, more than Seth who hadn’t stopped glaring at him and snorting at every word out of his mouth since dinner started. He didn’t know what to make of her and that made him feel uneasy. This was a house for troubled teens and young adults. She had to have a story. 

“Did you want some more water?” She held the pitcher in her hand higher. He looked at his empty glass and then back to Renee. He jerked his chin in a sharp nod.

“Thanks,” he mumbled. She grinned at him, big and bright before returning to her plate of hot dogs and mac’ n’ cheese. He tried not to jump as Wymack spooned more food on his plate. 

“Eat up, kid.” Neil felt like he couldn’t stop eating. He had forgotten how nice it was to have easy access to food and water. It was something he had always taken for granted until it was missing from his life. Food, water, shelter. He was painfully aware that at any second this could be ripped away from him. All it would take is one look, one word from Kevin and all of this would be gone. He was making the most of his short stay. 

“How’d the room look, Josten?” Neil stopped shoveling food into his mouth in order to answer Wymack. 

“Fine.”

“And you’re good sharing with those two idiots.” Wymack pointed at Matt and Seth. Matt just grinned. Seth looked offended and pissed off, but Neil thought that could just be his face.

“That’s fine.”

“You know any other words besides fine, son?” Neil thought about that for a second as he chewed his food. 

“Yep.” For the first time since Wymack had pulled up to The Foxhole, the man smiled at him. 

Dan chimed in from Wymack’s left. “Looks like we’ve got a smart ass on our hands.” She was smiling at Neil too. Everyone was smiling at him, bar Seth who only rolled his eyes and grunted. The positive attention made him uncomfortable and he looked back down at his plate to find it empty again.

“Well now that the human garbage disposal is done, I’d say it’s about time for game night. Y’all have thirty minutes for your food to settle. Renee and Dan you’re captains. Choose your teams.” Neil tried not to let his confusion show on his face. 

“But Coach,” Dan protested, “We don’t have the numbers to play without the monsters-“

“They’ll be here by the time we start.”

Dan’s irritation was clear on her face. “Fine, but they’re not gonna be on my fucking team after what happened last time.”

“That’s fine,” Renee said softly. “I’ll take them.”

“Great,” Wymack boomed. “Problem solved. Neil you’re on Dan’s team.” And with that he took off towards his office. Dan and the others stood up to leave as well. Neil stayed in his seat trying to figure out just what the fuck was happening. 

Dan lingered at the foot of the stairs. “Neil. Quit your daydreaming. Come on. We’ve got some serious planning to do if we’re going to kick Renee’s ass.” Her smile was wicked. “She’s a wily one.” Neil knew he looked absolutely bewildered, but Dan didn’t offer up any kind of explanation. “Josten,” she barked. “Chop chop! Get off your fucking ass.” Neil stared at her. “Move it!” For his safety, Neil stood and followed Dan up the stairs.

 

Neil stood by the big oak tree with a bright orange tie hanging from one of the lower branches that Dan had placed him in front of. To guard. Because they were playing fucking capture the flag. With nerf guns.

Neil wondered for the millionth time just what the fuck he was doing here. 

“It’s easy,” Dan had said when she handed him a spare gun from under her bed. Neil didn’t know why a 20 year old woman had a stash of nerf guns under her bed and to be quite honest he didn’t really want to know.

“We’re going to do all the hard stuff. All you have to do is stand by the tree and shoot anyone who manages to slip pass us.” 

“Not that that’s going to happen,” Matt added, grinning from ear to ear like a small boy. 

“Damn right that’s not going to happen,” Allison said as she snapped a dart into the chamber of her gun. By the look on Allison’s face, Neil thought she needed to be reminded that it was a toy and that this was a game usually played by small children at summer camps. 

“Easy,” Dan repeated. “Just point and shoot.” Neil looked dubiously at the gun he was holding loosely in his hands. 

“What,” Dan asked.

Neil arched an eyebrow at her. Allison looked up from where she was tying a really expensive looking sneaker. She studied Neil’s face and he had to fight to keep eye contact. “Have you never used a nerf gun before?” Neil’s face must have given him away. Seth snorted from where he was starfished on the ground. “Oh fuck no. You’re not going to bring us down. We were so close to finally beating that conniving, little-“

“Allison.”

“Come here, pretty boy.” It wasn’t until Seth tried to murder him with his eyes that Neil realized she was talking to him. Allison got sick of waiting and walked over to him, leaning in much closer than necessary. Neil tensed immediately, holding his breath. Allison seemed to get the message and she leaned back just a little bit. She smiled at him like she knew all of his deepest secrets. Neil fought to control his breathing. 

She grabbed his gun, careful not to touch his hands and demonstrated where to put the darts, how to lock them into the chamber, and how to shoot. Then she threw it back at him so fast it nearly smacked Neil in the face. 

“Fast reflexes,” Dan said in a voice Neil was quickly starting to recognize as her captain voice. “That’s good.”

“Shoot Matt,” Allison ordered. 

Neil looked at Matt as he grinned and stretched his obnoxiously long arms out to his sides, rolling his broad shoulders back and expanding to his full height. Neil looked back at Allison. Then at Matt. Then back to Allison. “Don’t be a coward, pretty boy. Shoot the man!”

“What a pussy,” Seth laughed. 

Neil shot Seth in the forehead. 

Matt doubled over laughing and Allison smiled the first genuine smile Neil had seen from her. Seth shouted a string of obscenities and moved to stand up. “Sit the fuck back down, Seth. You deserved that.” 

Seth did sit back down, but not before calling Neil a fag and flipping him off.

“Not bad, New Kid. Not bad.” Dan chuckled and tossed him a bag of ammo. “Not that you’ll need it.” Dan winked at Matt who settled his arm around Dan’s waist. She looked back to Neil, smile so big it looked like it was consuming her face. “But just in case.”

And that’s how Neil had ended up standing in front of a huge tree on a muggy South Carolina night, mosquitos biting at every centimeter of exposed skin. Matt was right. Whatever was happening out there in the woods, no one was making it past Dan, Matt, Allison, and Seth. 

With nothing to occupy his thoughts they immediately turned to Kevin. Dan had grumbled something about the monsters being back, but he hadn’t seen or heard anything from them yet. Would Kevin recognize him? What would he do if he did? What would Neil do?

He heard a branch snap behind him. Panic coursed through Neil’s veins. Neil didn’t think he had ever felt so stupid. He had put himself at risk, out here in the open, no one around to hear him scream. And for what? A night of free food and a roof over his head. He was going to be found. He was going to be taken back to his father. Neil was going to die, would rather die, than be dragged back to his father.

Another branch snapped. Now Neil could hear footsteps. “Who’s there,” Neil called into the night air. He wished he had an actual gun instead of this useless fucking toy. Silence. “I said who the fuck is there?” Neil looked around him. The stars seemed to be drawing nearer and the trees were spinning, dancing around him. Neil’s breathing turned sharp and shallow. Ice flooded his bloodstream. He needed to run. He needed to leave and never look back. 

Now. 

Neil ran. He got as far as the dark side of the oak tree before he was hit. He was flat on his back staring up at the stars, which no longer seemed to be falling down around him. The trees had stopped spinning. Neil had stopped breathing. He moved one of his hands to his rib cage then trailed it down his stomach. Neil finally managed to gasp in a lungful of air. Neil had broken enough bones by now to know that nothing was broken. Just very bruised. 

Neil heard laughter to his left and remembered why he had been running. He flung an arm out trying to land a blow on his attacker, but he hit nothing but air. He heard the person move closer to him and crouch down to lean over his face. He made out blonde hair, dark eyes, and a bright mocking smile on a boy about his age. “Better luck next time,” the boy said with a chuckle and a mocking two-finger salute. The boy stood back up and slung a lacrosse stick, his weapon of choice apparently, over his shoulders still smiling like Neil was the most amusing thing he’d ever seen.

The likelihood that this boy was sent by his father was rapidly decreasing by the second. Neil pushed himself up onto his elbows, trying not to visibly wince. “Fuck you,” he said with as much venom as he could muster. The boy just laughed again. There was something dangerous about that laugh. 

He turned around and started walking back to the oak swinging his lacrosse stick around carelessly. He reached up to snatch the orange tie off of the tree. Neil shot him in the back of the head. The boy’s hand reached up to touch where the dart had hit him as if in slow motion. He whirled around to face Neil. The manic grin splitting his face in two was even more perilous than the hysterical laughter. “Oh, you’re going to be so much fun to break.” 

Neil bristled, opening his mouth to retort, when Dan and the rest of the team ran into the clearing, victorious smiles on their faces. Dan’s smile quickly fell when she took in the scene before her, the blonde boy standing over Neil with the lacrosse stick hanging from one hand, the orange tie from the other, and Neil still on the ground looking murderous. 

“What. The. Fuck. Andrew?” Dan shouted, stomping over to Neil and offering him a hand up. After a second’s hesitation, he took it. He shot a quick assessing look at the boy. So this was the infamous Andrew Minyard. Neil thought he’d be…bigger. Dan quickly dropped his hand and turned to Andrew, face furious. “How many times do we have to tell you no fucking maiming?”

Andrew was still smiling, appearing entirely unaffected by Dan’s murderous tirade. “Oh, I don’t know Dan.” He shrugged carelessly. “Keep repeating yourself and someday something’s bound to stick.” Dan stepped forward almost nose to nose with Andrew. Something in his smile changed, hardened, froze. When he spoke his tone was cheerful despite the words that came from his mouth. “Get the fuck out of my face, Dan.” He spun the lacrosse stick in his hand in a wide, lazy circle. 

Neil watched, transfixed by what was happening in front of him, as Dan backed down. Matt grabbed Dan’s hand, but she shook him off and crossed her arms. If she didn’t terrify Neil so much, he’d say that she was pouting. Renee’s voice came from behind and startled Neil. “Andrew,” she called. Her voice was level, normal as if nothing out of the usual had happened. Maybe nothing about this was unusual. “Kevin and the others are back at the house. There’s hot chocolate.” Andrew had remained unmoving, watching Dan with a slight smile on his face, but at Renee’s words something in Andrew’s shoulders loosened.

“Guess we’ll just have to finish this later. Won’t we Dan.” Then he tapped her shoulder with the lacrosse stick and strode out of the woods to the house without a second look at anybody. 

“What a sick fucker,” Seth muttered as they all watched Andrew walk away. 

 

Neil followed the other’s back into the house. His heart was still pounding at the possibility of seeing Kevin, but it wasn’t as overwhelming. He found himself stuck on what had happened out in the woods. On Andrew. Out of everyone he’d met so far, Andrew was the most unsuspected. How someone like him had caught Wymack’s eye, Neil had no idea. Andrew was unhinged and dangerous. Neil wasn’t naïve enough to think Andrew was the only dangerous one under The Foxhole’s roof, but he was sure Andrew was bad news.

Back in the house Neil found Wymack sitting down in an arm chair holding a tumbler of whiskey. Andrew and two other boys sat on a couch near him. Andrew was draped across the arm of the couch, laying his head on his arms. A tall boy with tan skin and dark hair sat between Andrew and…someone who looked and dressed exactly like Andrew. Neil found himself riddled with even more questions.

“Ah, Dan, good. What the hell did Andrew do now?”

“What, he didn’t come in and start bragging immediately?” Dan said, glaring at the boy in question.

“He walked in and said “I didn’t do it” and sat down. What exactly did he “not do?’”

“Try to kill the new kid with a lacrosse stick,” Allison said, sounding bored and checking her nails. Seth laughed loudly.

“What the fuck Andrew?” Wymack sighed. “First words out of my mouth were “be nice to the new kid.”” 

“Which is why I was the first to welcome him.” Andrew said, smile vacant and bored. Wymack pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed again. 

Neil stayed silent, wishing he’d never gone anywhere with Wymack. He was becoming more anxious the longer Kevin stayed absent. He had to be here by now so where the hell was he?

The tall, dark boy stood up from his spot next to Andrew and held a hand out to Neil. “Hi, my name’s Nicky. Nicky Hemmick.” The boy’s smile was big and unnaturally white. Neil kept his hand by his side. 

“I won’t bite,” Nicky said. Neil raised an eyebrow. “Unless you want me to.” He winked at Neil. Neil heard Seth cough behind him and it sounded suspiciously like the word faggot. The next thing he hears is a muffled thud and a loud “ow” from Seth.

“Anyway,” Nicky continued, “the other blonde is Aaron.” He waved behind him at Andrew’s doppelganger who grunts and continues to look sullen from his seat on the couch. “We’ve heard a lot about you. It’s good to finally meet you.” Nicky continues smiling. Neil looks away.

“Nice to meet you.” He said.

“It speaks,” Andrew exclaimed. “I was thinking I’d caused some serious damage.” Andrew laughed. “Oh well. I was promised hot chocolate.” He looked at Wymack expectantly. 

“Of course. What was I thinking not rewarding you for your great behavior? You know where everything is. Make it yourself.” Andrew stayed seated. The sound of a door opening and closing came from the hall and Neil’s pulse skyrocketed. Every individual footstep seemed to echo in his head until finally a figure appeared in the doorway. 

Kevin hasn’t changed much. Neil had seen enough photos online to not be caught off guard by the new sharp angles of his face, or the inches and muscle he had gained. He was still the archetypical golden boy. That didn’t mean Neil was at all prepared to see him after all these years though.

“Sorry, I had to email my advisor. What did I miss?” His voice was a lot deeper than when they were kids and Neil couldn’t help his visible tensing upon hearing it. His blood was pumping through his veins. He couldn’t move at all or else he wouldn’t stop, he’d never stop. Every second of his life would be more running.

Wymack spoke up. “Kevin, Neil Josten. Neil Josten, Kevin Day. Andrew assaulted Neil with a lacrosse stick during Capture the Flag.” Neil watched as the muscles in Kevin’s jaw clenched. He barely glanced at Neil before turning his glare to Andrew. 

“Really Andrew?” Andrew turned his vacant smile on Kevin.

“What?” He sounds innocent, but he doesn’t look it. He looks predatory. Kevin rolls his eyes and turns his attention to his cell phone. He doesn’t look at Neil again. 

Neil feels all the breath he was holding whoosh out of him all at once. All the tension leaves his body. Kevin doesn’t recognize him. Renee fills the silence. 

“I’m going to go see what I can do about that hot chocolate,” she said softly. “Neil, will you be joining us?”

Everyone turned to look at Neil and he expected to feel tense and anxious, but for once he just feels tired. 

Wymack echoes Renee. “Yeah, Neil. Care to join us for the night?” And Neil lets himself forget to worry about Renee, and Andrew, and Kevin for just a moment.

“Yeah, I think I will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is already started and I have the next couple planned so I'll post again soon. Love you all! As always, be sure to leave feedback!
> 
> If you guys want to talk to me on tumblr you can find me at pageofcoins or my tfc blog which is exykits <3

**Author's Note:**

> I love feedback so please leave a comment telling me what you liked, what you didn't and what I need to work on. Also, kudos are pretty swell! Thanks for reading <3 See you guys again soon for Chapter Two! (Game night at the Foxhole! Can anyone guess what they're playing?)


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